Steam trap



Aug. 2s 1924. www

L.G.CHASE STEAM TRAP Filed Dec. 17. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Aug. 26, 19245 UNlTED STATES PATENT GFFICE.

LYLE G. CHASE, OZ? CHESTIUT HLL, PE-ILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANA, ASSGNOR '.lOi YAFWALL-W'ARING COB'IPANY, OF EHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, .A CORPORA* Tb OF PENNSYLVANA.

STEAM TRAP.

Application led December 17, 1920. Serial No. 431,351.

To all ywlmi/1, i? may concern.'

Be it known that l, LYLE G. CHASE, a cit.- izen ot the United States, residing at Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania7 in the country ot Philadelphia and State ot Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Steam Trap, of which the tollowing A is a specification.

My invention relates to traps for steam and water which are intended to operate upon the bucket principle, i. e., the trap is operated by reason ot the weight of water in the bucket and is shut off by reason ot the dotation of the bucket when the water has been discharged.

The main purpose ot my invention is to litt the bucket by its flotation value, maintaining it in raised position while the bucket is empty and while a gravity-operated closure prevents steam and water passage through the trap, but to displace this gravity closure by reason ot downward movement of the bucket, whereby the water in the bucket can be Yforced upwardly and out through the opening from which the closure is displaced.

A further purpose is to use ball valves, resting normally upon depressed seats while rthe bucket is in raised position, and to displace these balls by means operated by the bucket when the bucket is lowered; so that the valves are open to permitl the water to be forced outy through lthe valves until the bucket has been sufficiently cleared ot water to float again.

A further purpose is to make the valve in such a form of trap easily accessible and readily replaceable.

A further purpose is to provide for adaptation of the trap to low or high pressures by merelT varying the diameters of the valve opening, and to form the valve parts as interchangeable membersa readily substitut ible.r one for another.

lFurther purposes will appear in the specification and in the claims.

I have preferred to illustrate my invention by but one forni thereof, selecting a Jform which is practical., efficient. inexpensive and thoroughly reliable and which at the same time well illustrates the principles of my invention.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of this preferred `torm of my invention.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2 2 ot the structure seen in Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a section corresponding to line 2 2 in Figure 1, but with the parts in a di'liierent position from that shown in Figure 2.

Figure i is a section upon line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figures 5, 6 and l are sections upon lines 5-5, 6 6 and 7-7 of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a section taken upon line 8 8 ot Figure 3.

Figure 9 is a section upon line 9-9 of Figure 1.

Figure 10 is a side elevation or the structure seen in Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a broken side elevation of the bot-tom of the guide tube seen in Figures 2 and 3.

In the drawings similar numerals indicate like parts.

As is well known the bucket type ot steam trap constitutes a well recognized and distinct type of trap and probably the most reliable and dependable Jform ot trap known in the art. There has been difficulty, however, in securing simple7 reliable and accessible structure for trapping the steam while permitting the water to low out freely; and it is to this point that my invention is primarily directed.

Taking up the structure shown, in illus tration, and not in limitation7 l will describe this structure as follows:-

The casing 14 is provided with a cleaning outlet 15. The casing and the cover 16 are preferably made in separate parts for connection through flange 17 upon the cover and the lugs 18 within the casing and are united by bolts 19 so that the parts may be simply and reliably held together while permitting simplicity ot manufacture and ready access for cleaning and repairs.

The inlet of steam and entrained water takes place through a pipe 20. Direct passage across the casing is prevented by baille 2l so that the movement of the inlet stream Will not affect the bucket. The cover 16 carries a downwardly extending guidingY tube 22 which performs the double function of guiding the vertical movement of the bucket and' positioning it inits operation on the one hand and of permitting flow of water and steam up through the extension 22 to the valve on the other hand.

rIlhe guiding tube 22 performs an additional function in acting as a stop to limit the upward movement of the bucket. In order that it may perform this last function to advant-age and not at the same time shut off the flow of water inito the tube from the bucket, the lower part of the tube is apertured, or it and bucket cooperate, in the present case by projection upon the bottom of the tube, so as to allow inlet of water at all times at this point when there is water in the bucketwithout interfering with the stop function of the tube. This is conveniently accomplished by notching the tube at the bottom as at 23. Y

The b-ucket l24 is suspended from a. rod 25 which carries at the bottom any guide 26 to limit lateral movement of the bucket, and which at the same time does not interfere with vert-ical movement of the bucket or with passage of water through the tube'and past rod and the guide. In the present illustratio-n the guide is formed as a spider having a central boss 23 and fins 29. A convenient wayof mounting the bucket upon the rod is shown in ythreading the lower end of the rod as at 30 and placing nuts 3l. and 32 outside and inside the bucket respectively upon the threaded end 30, so as to retain the bucket between these nuts.

At the upper end the rod 25 is shown as screwed into an inverted wedge 33 which carries at its upper end a pin 34. This pin extends upwardly into an aperture 35 within the top shell 36, so that the pin acts as a guide and the wedge 33 will move upwardly and downwardly freely without moving laterally to any considerable extent.

At the upper end of the shell 36 I mount the stem 37 of a screw. It passes through a guiding plug 38 screwed at 39 into the shell. Suitable provision is made to proteet against steam leakage. This screw is itself capable of acting as the guide for the upper end of the rod 25 or of the wedge 33, or the rod and cap can be made to con operate for guiding purposes. Whatever the structure at this point, the screw is adapted to press against the wedge or rod and push the wedge downwardly so as to have the same effect upon the rod 25, the bucket 24 and the valve or valves as would be produced by filling the bucket with water. In this manner I secure mechanical control of the downward movement of the bucket and can at any time force the bucket downwardly to allow the steam or water or combined steam and water to flow freely throughthe valve opening or openings. A

)et cock air valve ma lbe Jrovided at the Y top of the shell 36 for air relief when needed` The shell 36 is held in place by means of bolts 40 passing through ears 41 in the shell and passing into notches 43 in the cover I6. '.5

The capacity of the trap is controlled in large measure by the size of the valve openings. The suitability of the trap for high or low pressure is also controlled in large measure by the size of these openings as a high pressure system would require that the openings be reduced if the same quantity of steam anu water'is to behandle'd.

Though it will .be desirable to vary the size of the bucket 24 for large variations in the intended capacity of the'trap, in order to avoid excessive delay in operation of the bucket on the one hand and excessive frequency of operation of the bucket on the other hand, any single size of trap, with the construction shown, will have wide capacity range. In order that the same size of trap may be adjusted quickly and easily to different capacities, or to different pressures, I form the seats for the balls and the valve openings 47 in a removable valve plate'48 which may be united lto the adjoining structure by any convenient means which I have not considered it necessary to illustrate.

rIlhe walls or wings act as guides, but at the same time provide formovement of the balls radially to permit the. valve openings to be uncovered; s0 that the balls are free to move radially but are so guided that they do not wholly leave the recessed-seats within which they lie, but will fall back` into these seats automatically by gravityY when the pressure removing them from they seats is removed. Y

IWithin the upper part of the cover or top 16 I form a collecting compartment or passage 49 for the water which is being withdrawn and from which this water may be discharged through outlet pipes 50 and rIhe provision of this compartment or passage, from whichever standpoint it be viewed, spaces the valvev opening/4Z Afrom llO the lower' portion 52 of this plate o'r cover i6; and the removability of the valve plate 48, which l have provided makes it most conveniently supported upon the surface 54 of an upper plate 55.

ln operation, consider the water as filling the casing to a level such as 57 near the top of the bucket when the latter is floating. lilith the bucket raised as in Figure 2 the ball or balls 44 rest uponv the valve seat and the steam always present within the upper part 58 of the lower compartment, though free to flow down through the notches 23 and up through the guide tube 22 cannot pass the ball or balls covering the valve opening or openings.

This condition is maintained until suflicient water has accumulated Within the lower part, 59, of the compartment for the water to flow over the top of the bucket 24, Then this flow has continued toa sufficientextent for the bucket to be sunk by the added weight of the water, the bucket will lower, admitting water rapidly. The bucket carries with it the actuator (wedge) 33. This wedge will move ball or balls 44 to the position shown in Figure 3, in which they are shown as radially displaced from their seats and no` longer cover the openings 47.

The pressure of steam in the upper part 58 of the compartment still presses upon the top of the water and is now effective to force the water within the bucket through the notches 23, up through the tube 22, out of the upper end of this tube, down through the openings 47 into the space 49 and out through the pipes 50 and 51. This outward flow of the water will. continue until the bucket has been relieved of sufficient weightl of water to rise by reason of its value as a float, at which time the balls 44 are relieved from the displacing wedge pressure and fall back to the position in Figure 2, covering the openings 47 and stopping the outward flow of water and steam, completing the cycle and leaving the water and bucket in the relation with which the description of operation started.

ln this operation it is really immaterial whether the bucket 24 is practically emptied of water before the bucket lifts as a float or not, as the factor of the extent of emptying of the bucket required before floating takes place affects the quantity of water to pass through the trap at each movement of the bucket but not the principle involved.

It will be evident that the mechanism embodying my invention may be modilied in various ways by the designer, in view of the disclosure herein, changing the structure as his whim or the needs of a particular in-l stallation indicated, and that the changed structure will still come within the reasonable spirit and scope of my invention. All

such modilications and changes l purpose inehiding within my claims herein.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. ln a steam trap, a casing adapted to receive steam and water, a bucket therein adapted to float when water has been pelled from it and to sink when it has received water, a guide for the bucket,y walls forming a passage leading upwardly from the interior of the bucket, upwardly facing valve seats having` passages therethrough in ctunmunication with the upper end of the first named passage, ball valves resting in the valve seats when the bucket is raised and mechanism connected with the bucket to move with it, adapted to move the balls positively from their seats when the bucket sinks and permitting them to come back to their seats when the bucket floats.

2. In' a steam trap, a compartment adapted to receive steam and water, a bucket therein, a tubular guide for said bue-zet, adapted to act also as a passage for water from said bucket, valve seats having openings in communication with the upper end of said passage, balls on said valve seats, water discharge connections in communication with the valve openings and a wedge connected with the bucket at the upper end of the passage, and adapted to shove the balls off of their seat when the bucket sinks.

3. In a steam trap, a compartment adapted to receive steam and water, a bucket therein, a tubular guide for said bucket, adapted to act also as a passage for water from said bucket, valve seats having openings in communication with the upper end of said passage, balls on said valve seats, water discharge connections in communication with the valve openings, :i wedge connected with thebucket at the upper end of the passage and adapted to shove the balls od of their seat when the bucket sinks and a setting device, longitudinally movable with respect to the bucket to force the wedge downwardly and move the valves from their seats mechanically.

4. In a steam trap, a compartment adapted to receive steam and water, a bucket float therein, a rod connected with said float., a top for the compartment, a depending tube from said top, guiding connections between the rod and tube, the tube permitting flow of water therethrough upwardly from the bucket, an upwardly facing valve seat having an opening in communication with the upper end of said tube, a radially momble valve member engaging said seat, water discharge connections for the water flowing through the valve opening and an actuator for the valve connected with said rod to move the valve radially when the bucketis lowereds 5. In a steam trap, a compartment adapted to receive steam and Water, the bucket adapted to float and sink therein, a top for the compartment, a tubular member carried by the top and affording a stop to movement of the bucket as Well as a passage for Water therefrom, an upwardly facing valve seat having an opening in communication with the upper end of said tube, a gravityreplaced valvemovable radially of the valve seat and in communication With said valve seat, a guide for the valve to ensure return to the seat, a rod connected With the bucket and extending above the bucket, an actuator for the valve at the upper end of said rod, and discharge connection for the Water passing through the valve opening.

6. In a steamtrap, a compartment adapted to receive steam and Water, the bucket adapted to float and sink therein, a top for the compartment, a vtubular member carried by the top and affording a stop to movement of the bucket as Well as a passage for Water therefrom, a valve seat having a'n opening in communication with the upper end of said tube, a radially-movable, gravity-replaced valve in communication With said valve seat, a guide for the valve tov ensure return to the seat, a rod connected With the bucket, an actuator for the valve at the upper end of said rod, discharge connection for the Water passing through the valve and a mechanical operating device for said actuator, movable in the direction of the length of the rod to operate the valve.

7. In a steam Y trap, a compartment adapted to receive Water and steam, a removable top therefor, a tubular member depending from said top, a bucket in said compartment, a guide connected With said bucket, engaging the interior of said tubular member, a rod connected With the bucket, extending through the tubular member, discharge connection for the Water at the top, a trap for the discharge connection, a valve seat having an opening at the upper end of said top, a radially-operated valve, an actuator for the valve connected with said rod and guiding means for said valve to return it to closing position after release from the actuator.

8. In a steam trap, a compartment adapted to receive Water and steam, a removable top therefor, a tubular member depending from said top, a bucket in said compartment, a guide connected vvith said bucket engaging the interior of said tubular member, a rod connected with the bucket extending through the tubular member, discharge connection for the Water trapped, connected With the top, a valve seat having an opening at the upper end of said top, a radially-operated valve, an actuator for the valve connected With said rod, guiding means for said valve to return it to closing position after release of the actuator, a cap above the top, and a mechanical operating device for moving said actuator, carried by the cap. l.

9. In a steam trap, a compartment adapted to receive Water and steam, a removable top therefor, a tubular member depending from said top, a bucket in said compartment, a guide connected With said bucket, engaging the interior of said tubular member, a rod connected With the bucket and extending through the tubular member, discharge connection for the Water trapped, connected With the top, a valve seat having an opening, at the upper end of said top, a radially-operated valve member, an actuator for the valve member connected vvith said rod, guiding means for said valve to return it to closing position after release of the actuator, a cap above the top, carrying the guide for the valve and a screvvoperated device for moving the actuator to displace the valve. i

10. In a steam trap, a compartment adapted to receive steam and Water, a bucket therein, a top for the compartment, a tubular member depending from said top soV having openings at its lovver edge, themember engaging the bucket to stop its upvvard movement but permitting inlet of Water to the tubular member at all times, a rod connected .with the bucket, a guide upon the rody engaging the interior surface of the tubular member, an extension of the tubular member upwardly, a removable valve plate surrounding the tubular member and-at the upper end thereof, aV valve seat in said valve plate and having an opening, vvalls forming a second compartment about the tubular extension, connections vvith said compartment for Withdrawal of Water trapped and passing through the valve, a. ball adapted to rest on said valve seat, a guide for the ball to insure return to said valve seat to avoid circumferential movement of the ball, a ball actuator carriedrby the upper end of the rod and a cover for the valve sealing the space about the ball from steam escape and guiding thev upper end of the rod.

ll. In a steam trap, a Wall forming a compartment adapted to receive steam andV Water, a bucket therein, a top for the compartment, a tubular member depending from said top, a rod connected vvith the bucket and passing through the tubular member, a guide upon the rod, engaging vvithin the tubular member, a valve seat having an opening at the upper end of the tubular member, av ball adapted to seal said opening, connections for Withdrawal of `Water passing through the valve, a Wedge upon the upper end of the rod, adapted to engage the ball when the bucket sinks, a guide movable With the Wedge and rod, and

a cover above the ball and Wedge, cooperating to guide the rod.

l2. In a steam trap, a Wall forming a compartment adapted to receive steam and Water, a bucket therein, a top or the compartment, a tubular member depending from saicl top, a rod connected With the bucket and passing through the tubular member, a guide upon the rod, a valve seat having an opening communicating with the upper end of the tubular member, a ball adapted to seal With said valve seat, connections for Withdrawal of Water passing through the valve opening, a Wedge upon the upper end of the rofl adapted to engage the ball when the bucket sinks, a guide upon the upper enel of the Wedge, a cover for the valve parts, above the ball and Wedge and cooperating with the parts to guide the Wedge and a mechanical operating device for the Wedge engaging axially of the rod and tending to force the bucket down- Wardly.

LYLE G. CHASE. 

